Time to cut my losses.

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Limited spanner work then plus the wife won't go mad 👍
 
I feel you pain, I got attached to our family camper, a Mazda Bongo import. No underseal applied on domestic Japanese cars so it rotted and I cut out and welded loads. No panels available due to factory burning down, it now sports a pair of Mercedes sprinter rear arches- the nearest fit.
Its now my daily driver, with a 1994 A124 Sportline Cabriolet E320 in the garage. If I look closely at that there is ‘stuff’ to be done. Like you I’m collecting rear suspension parts for a complete refresh. Then the front.
As others have said, if your heart is in it then go ahead. Otherwise everything seems to be more of a chore if you don’t want to be there, doing it.
Good luck.
 
As others have said, if your heart is in it then go ahead. Otherwise everything seems to be more of a chore if you don’t want to be there, doing it.
Good luck.
My heart was definitely in it, up to the point that I found all of the holes. If I could weld I would have simply seen it as a challenge, but I can't and all I can see are the pound signs. IF it isn't going to cost a fortune I suspect I will find rebuilding all the more rewarding. If it were anything other than a 4dr saloon it would also stand a chance of being worth something, you certainly made a better choice with the convertible.
 
If you look carefully and compare it to the photo in the original post there are subtle clues on which way this is going!IMG_2334 (002).JPG
 
Good to see, pleased for you.
I am yet to take mine apart, maybe after summer but I’ve got the welder out to repair the camper & practice technique ready for the decent car!
 
Did you patch the mount area or buy a repair piece?
 
Did you patch the mount area or buy a repair piece?
The mount areas have not been done yet. The car is sitting on axle stands under the jacking points and with no rear axle in there are no convenient jacking points to lift it off them. He'll be coming back next week to patch them.
 
Sorry, I meant the subframe mount area like in the picture.
 

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Sorry, I meant the subframe mount area like in the picture.
I see, that was patched, reskinned with steel sheet. If you look at the original picture you can see that the internal, structural part of the mount was sound and still covered in wax.
 
Nice to see it being fixed up 😀

The original underseal is a bloody nightmare. It was peeling off my 190’s subframe mounts but luckily got to it when it was only concealing surface rust. Really important to be pro-active with this on a pre 00’s Merc.
 
Nice to see it being fixed up 😀

The original underseal is a bloody nightmare. It was peeling off my 190’s subframe mounts but luckily got to it when it was only concealing surface rust. Really important to be pro-active with this on a pre 00’s Merc.
You are so right, I have removed any more that showed signs of peeling and treated the surface rust before apply shutz and spray on underseal. I am very aware though that this is not a one-off activity.
 
Well done, I look at the ever increasing pile of spares to tackle the rear subframe & it does become daunting. Without attacking the rust.
 
Well done, I look at the ever increasing pile of spares to tackle the rear subframe & it does become daunting. Without attacking the rust.
I have just dug out the receipts from when I bought the parts to refurb my subframe. I purchased them in 2015 and finally got round to it this year! It's never too soon (or too late) to crack on with the job, just go in expecting the worst and how bad can it get!!? Stripping and re-assembling the subframe was quite a quick job, just make sure you take a note of which directions the bolts go in and what order you reconnect at the wheel end and you'll be fine.
 
Thanks for the guidance, I was thinking of getting the frame blasted & sprayed with hot zinc.
Got the link kit, LCA & subframe bushes. Need boot kit to refurb driveshafts, previous owner did the diff oil seals & bushes.
The under seal removal & rust is the issue, looks OK but so have other members on the forum who had issues.
I have got rust around the drain bungs in the boot, the n/S is due to a bodged aerial leaking water into the boot.
 
Thanks for the guidance, I was thinking of getting the frame blasted & sprayed with hot zinc.
Got the link kit, LCA & subframe bushes. Need boot kit to refurb driveshafts, previous owner did the diff oil seals & bushes.
The under seal removal & rust is the issue, looks OK but so have other members on the forum who had issues.
I have got rust around the drain bungs in the boot, the n/S is due to a bodged aerial leaking water into the boot.
I guess I was lucky in the fact that I was ignorant of what I might have found, I was already committed by dropping the subframe before the underseal hidden rust reared it's head. If I were in your position and knew what was (probably) lurking I could well have taken a different approach.
I still have not really attacked the rust around the drains in the boot (Not structural and not an immediate priority). I am considering a glass fibre sump sort of thing but have not finalised my approach yet.
 

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